WEEZER GO INDIE, COLLABORATE WITH EVERYONE

After 16 years on Geffen, Weezer left the major and put out their eighth album, Hurley, on indie Epitaph.

Continuing their tradition of absurd album covers, the Hurley sleeve featured a photo of Jorge Garcia, aka Hurley from "Lost". Weezer also continued to collaborate with anyone who would pick up the phone, including Ryan Adams, Male Bonding, and Best Coast.

MAN COMMITS SUICIDE AT SWELL SEASON SHOW

On August 19, in the middle of a Swell Season performance, Michael Edwards Pickels jumped three stories from the roof of Saratoga, California's Mountain Winery and landed on the stage. Paramedics were unable to revive him and the show ended immediately.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND SUED BY CONTRA MODEL

Vampire Weekend's Contra cover was one of the most iconic of the year-- the mysterious cover model's blank stare seemed to draw a reaction from everyone. Including the actual model, Kirsten Kennis, who sued the band for $2 million, claiming she never signed off on the image (which was originally taken in 1983). Talking to Vanity Fair, Kennis said, "They are using it for their gain. Something is wrong here. It's like, don't just use my picture all over the place."

TYONDAI BRAXTON LEAVES BATTLES, CONSTANTINES BREAK UP

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Tyondai Braxton parted ways with his avant-prog group Battles to pursue his own music, though the band will go on without him.

Meanwhile, Canadian rockers Constantines went on hiatus, and Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino's old group Pocahaunted called it quits.

FREE DESIGN LEADER CHRIS DEDRICK, R.I.P.

Other August passings included Derf Scratch, bassist for the legendarily misanthropic and violent L.A. hardcore band Fear, Phelps "Catfish" Collins, guitarist for James Brown and Parliament/Funkadelic, and Michael Been, frontman of the 80s-vintage California band the Call, and bassist Torbjörn Abelli of Swedish prog band Träd, Gräs och Stenar.